Tempus Fugit
by Knight Wild
Summary: In the Crystal Star, Leia wished that she could've known Luke when he was young. You should be careful what you wish for... You may just get it.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Tempus Fugit

Author: Knight Wild

Email: R (Implied child abuse)

Spoilers: Uh... haven't really thought. All the Star Wars movies and _The Crystal Star _by Vonda N. McIntyre.

Spoilers: I do not own any Star Wars people or places. They all belong to the brilliant George Lucas, Lucasfilm, and etc. I make no money off this, it is strictly for entertainment only.

Author's Note: Owen Lars seemed like the type of person who would hurt a child, (you know, rage-filled and ready to explode?) so this idea just sort of came to me.

* * *

"Uh," Han Solo groaned as the comm unit went off. "It's... who could be calling so late?"

Actually, it didn't sound anything like that, as he was talking into his pillow.

Somehow, Leia understood anyway. "I don't know. I hope nothing's wrong."

She hit the comm unit. "Yes?"

"Chief of State Organa Solo?" the voice was unfamiliar.

Leia pulled her robe tighter as she fought off a chill. "Yes, this is Leia Organa Solo."

There was a pause, then the voice spoke again.

"I am Taneel Dhan, prime minister of-"

"Oh yes, of Optheria. My brother..." Leia trailed off as her thoughts crashed together. "Is something wrong?"

Taneel paused, and Leia's heart turned to ice.

"Yes, there is a problem... with your brother. It would probably be good if you came out as soon as possible."

"Is he hurt? What's wrong with him?" Leia cried. _Oh, Luke._

"I would rather not discuss this over the comm, madam. Please... just come without delay."

Leia agreed, and without hardly realizing what she was doing, reached out and switched off the comm unit numbly.

Han was now wide awake, sitting straight up in bed.

"What happened?"

"I don't know." Leia said, her eyes tearing.

"I'll go power up the _Falcon._"

* * *

It took awhile, actually, as Leia had to get Jacen and Jaina, the five-year-old twins, and three-and-half-year-old Anakin ready.

But she actually did it in record time. It just seemed to take forever as she knew the possibility that _something _might be wrong with Luke.

She was hustling them onto the _Falcon, _when Jaina looked up at her with her brown eyes wide. "What's going on Mama? Where are we going?"

"We're going to visit Uncle Luke." Leia said, her voice falsely cheery.

Jaina nodded slowly.

Anakin, who was in Leia's arms, stirred, his blue eyes sleepy but aware. "Then why are you scared, Mama?"

She stopped, halfway up the landing ramp. She was so frightened and worried that her children could sense it?

Jacen grabbed her hand. "Nothing's wrong with Uncle Luke, is there?"

"No-no. We're just going to see him. Now let's go get you settled in." Leia said, trying to fight back the rampaging demon called panic in her chest.

Her protocol droid, C-3PO, waddled over. "Here Mistress Leia, allow me to take Master Anakin."

Leia felt like resisting; she felt like holding him tight. But the sooner they were all buckled in, the sooner they could be on their way.

To Optheria, to find out what had happened to her brother.

* * *

It was a beautiful planet, Leia thought vaguely. Too bad that some awful might've happened to her brother...

Han glanced over at her. "Have you tried to reach Luke?"

She was silent.

"Leia?"

"I'm afraid to," she whispered. "I'm afraid of what I'll sense."

"Sweetheart, you'll just worry until we land unless you do."

She nodded and swallowing hard, she stretched out with the Force, trying to touch her brother's mind.

She gasped.

"What? What is it? Kid okay?" concern was thick in Han's voice. Luke was not only his brother-in-law, but his friend, too.

"He's there, and he doesn't seem to be hurt but..."

She trailed off, obviously uncertain about how to proceed.

"But what?"

"His Force sense. It's _altered _somehow."

They were met on the landing pad by an optherian who tried to deflect any questions by simply saying Prime Minister Taneel Dhan needed to see them immediately. The optherians were tall creatures, with long, thin bodies and limbs and dusky flesh. They towered over humans, but were very gentle and non-violent, with their large ovoid eyes that glowed silvery-white.

"What is _your _name?" Han asked impatiently, obviously wanting answers.

"Vaun Kaibar."

"Well, _Vaun_, why isn't anyone answering our questions about Luke?"

The optherian winced, and his silvery gaze avoided Han's. "I am sorry. The prime minister gave me strict instructions to take you to him without delay and to let him answer your questions."

Han was about to protest when Leia gently touched his arm. "It's all right Han. He's telling the truth. He feels badly that he can't give us any information, but he'd lose his job. Let's just go. The sooner we meet the prime minister, the sooner we can find out what happened to Luke."

Carrying Anakin; Han held Jaina and Jacen's hand, they followed Vaun Kaibar.

The city of Optheria was high-tech, and contained many massive buildings. But it seemed to be a very pleasant place, overall.

Vaun led them to one of the larger buildings, a big one made mainly of durasteel.

"The prime minister's office is on the top floor." he said as he ushered them into the repulsor-lift.

Although their journey had taken only a few minutes; to Leia it had felt like hours and her sense of disquiet grew.

Anakin, his arms around her neck, and who was nearly asleep, murmured. "It'll be okay Mama."

She instinctively hugged him tighter.

The lift doors opened to reveal a closed door, shielded by two guards.

When they saw who it was; they relaxed to admit Vaun to open the door.

"Prime Minister Dhan, may I present Chief of State Leia Organa Solo."

"Thank you Vaun. That will be all."

The prime minister looked nearly identical to Vaun, except for the fact that he was slightly shorter. He was sitting with a young humanoid boy, who was wearing a look of fear and confusion.

"Chief of State Organa Solo. I am sorry we are meeting under these... unfortunate circumstances."

Leia nodded. "I'm sorry Prime Minster, I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly is going on? What has happened to Luke?"

The small boy sitting on the chair, perked up his head.

His _blond _head. Looking at him carefully, Leia observed the blue eyes, so familiar, and the skin, tanned from harsh sun rays and desert winds.

"No." she breathed.

The prime minister looked at her; obviously at a loss at what to say.

"It can't be _Luke_."

The little boy with the grave blue eyes finally spoke. "Why does everyone keep talking about me? Where am I? I need to go _home _or Uncle Owen will be mad at me!"

At those words, Leia finally crumbled.

"How can he be Luke?" she whispered.

"If you'll sit down, for a moment, madam, I will try to explain what happened."

* * *

(More Coming Up!) 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

They sat the children down. Leia saw Luke eyeing them with interest, as she knew when he was growing up, he hadn't had many children his own age to play with.

Now he was the same age as his niece and nephew.

Jaina scampered over to him. "Hi. I'm Jaina."

Luke nodded gravely. "I'm Luke."

Her eyebrow knitted together in thought. "I have an uncle named Luke. He's a Jedi Knight."

The boy's blue eyes widened. "Really? Cool. He has a lightsaber and everything?"

"Yep," Jaina said proudly. "I'm going to be a Jedi, too. So are my brothers. And so are you."

Luke looked startled. "I am?"

"Yes. You have the Force in you. Really strong, too."

He seemed to ponder that for a moment. "The Force... can it help you find lost things?"

Leia, overhearing him, knelt by his side, placing her hand on his shoulder. Her heart broke a little when she felt him stiffen at the physical contact. "Yes, it can. Why?"

"'Cause maybe that's why I can do that. Other stuff too. But it..." he trailed off.

She looked into his eyes, so young, but still so serious. "But what Luke?"

"But it makes Uncle Owen mad. He doesn't like it when I know stuff before it happens, and so he-"

Leia felt a chill she couldn't account for. "He what Luke?"

"Nothing." the little boy hastily replied.

Standing there silently, Leia decided she wasn't getting anywhere with words.

So she gently probed his mind, counting on the fact that the young Luke Skywalker hadn't built up the virtually impenetrable shields that the elder one had.

He hadn't, but she was surprised though, as it was harder to get in than she anticipated.

But when she finally did was met with...

"_The only way you could've known that part was under the couch was if you put it there." Owen Lars was practically snarling._

_Luke was standing, practically trembling with fear; yet he held his ground._

_He looked at his aunt. "Aunt Beru, I swear I didn't."_

_Beru glanced at her husband. "Owen, just because Luke found it, doesn't mean that he put it there."_

"_Well, how else would care to explain it Beru? We were searching high and low for the blasted thing, and he just closes his eyes and says that it's under the damn couch."_

_Beru gave Owen a look that said the farmer knew exactly how Luke had done it, but Owen Lars was hearing none of it._

"_Go pick the mushrooms off the vaporators before it gets dark." he said to his wife._

_She hesitated, obviously not wanting to leave Luke alone with her husband._

"_Beru! We need them for supper! Now go!"_

_Sighing, she went._

_As soon as she was out of sight, a gleam of rage entered Owen Lars' eyes and he advanced on the small child._

"_Got to teach you a lesson 'bout taking things that aren't yours."_

"_Please, no Uuncle Oowen." Luke was stuttering in fear as his uncle grabbed him._

_Then he picked up his utility belt._

_Luke wanted to scream, cry, and beg, but he did nothing. One tear of pain escaped as his uncle beat him, but that was all._

_When Owen was finally done, Luke could barely stand for the pain._

"_You learn your lesson?"_

_Silently, Luke nodded._

"_Good."_

Gasping, Leia broke contact with her brother's mind, aware of the tears that were flooding down _her _face.

"Leia," Han stepped up next to her. "You okay?"

When Han, an adult man, like his uncle, moved to such close proximity, Luke shifted away, his blue eyes wary. So that beating Leia saw couldn't have been the last time. The cautious fear in his eyes made Leia want to go back in time, back to Tatooine, and choke Owen Lars until he was blue in the face.

Taking Han by the hand, she drew him away from the others.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, wiping the tears that were still coursing down her cheeks.

Keeping her voice low; she told him what she had saw and heard in Luke's mind.

Han looked stunned for a moment, sickened, then angry. "Who would do that? To a little kid? And this Lars guy knew it was the Force?"

"Yeah. According to the talks I've had with Luke, that's what made Owen angry. He didn't want nothing to do with it," she shook her head sadly. "But he never mentioned _this_."

Leia was about to begin talking with the prime minister when she felt a tug on her sleeve.

Startled, she looked down to see the very young face of her brother staring up at her. God, how old was he? Five, maybe six at the most.

"Ma'am?"

"You can call me Leia," she told her brother, feeling very odd indeed. "Do you need something Luke?"

"Yes. An explanation. What's going on? I need to go home now, please." he said, desperation tinging his voice.

"I'm not sure what's going on. Prime Minister Dhan was just about to explain it to me."

"But I need to go home _now_!"

"When we get this figured out..."

But Luke was beyond listening. He was panicked and angry, and therefore his Force abilities erupted all around them like a volcano.

Chairs, holopads, data chips all began to fly. The lights started to flicker, threatening to explode.

Han grabbed Luke by the shoulders, but was saddened when Luke stiffened and tried to twist away.

"Hey kid, it's okay. Calm down." he murmured in his ear.

"No! Let me go!" and Luke _pushed _at Han, causing him to lose his grip, and stumble away.

"Han," Leia touched his arm. "Let me try, okay?"

He nodded, more than willing, but a little sad as he gazed down at the terrified little boy.

How could an adult, someone who was supposed to love and take care of him, hurt a little kid like that?

"Luke." Leia said gently, as she crouched down beside him.

He wouldn't look at her; look at anyone. The chairs, data chips, and holopads had came down, but the lights still continued to flicker ominously.

"Luke, it's all right. You're safe here. Nobody's going to hurt you."

He finally dared to look up at her, and her heart broke to see tears glimmering in those blue eyes. "Maybe... but if I get back home..." he didn't finish his sentence.

Leia wanted to reassure him that nothing would happen to him; that he would be safe.

And it killed her that she couldn't.

"Well, we'll worry about that later. But right now, you're safe, and no _one _will hurt you. _Nobody._"

He eyed her suspiciously and curiously, wiping the tears that were clinging to his lashes. "Who are you?"

Leia froze. How was she going to explain this?

But she wasn't going to lie. That would make things worse.

"Sit down. This is going to take awhile."

When she was finished, he propped his chin on his hands, his forehead wrinkled in apparent thought.

"So... this is the future?" he asked.

Leia nodded.

"And you're my sister? I _have _a sister?"

She smiled. "Yes. We don't find each other until we're nineteen-years-old, but yes, we're brother and sister. Twins."

"So they," he gestured to Leia's three children. "Are my nephews and niece?"

"Yes."

"Weird."

"Yes, indeed. So that's why I need to talk to Prime Minister Dhan. He's going to try and explain what happened to you. The adult you, that is."

He appeared to mull it over. "All right. I'll go sit with...?" he glanced at the children.

"The twins are Jaina and Jacen. The younger one is Anakin."

Luke's face lit up. "Anakin was my... our father's name! Did you know that?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, Luke. His name was Anakin Skywalker. Before..."

He caught the hesitation. "Before what?"

"Before he became Darth Vader."

His little face went perfectly still. "But-but that's not true. He was a n-navigator on a space freighter."

Leia bit her lower lip, searching for the right words. "Your uncle lied to you. He was a Jedi Knight once, but turned to the dark side of the Force."

She added. "You know, you, the adult you, is a Jedi Knight. The head of the new order?" hoping to divert his mind onto something else.

"What is the dark side of the Force?"

Leia blew out a breath. He was so inquisitive! Much more so than either Jaina or Jacen. She needed to talk to the prime minster, but she couldn't simply leave him there reeling with so many questions.

"There are two sides to the Force. The light and the dark side. The light side is what you, the Jedi use. You only use it for knowledge and defense, never for aggression. The dark side is when you let your emotions... anger, fear, and hate lead you."

He nodded. "I know, you need to talk to the prime minister. We'll go play now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I want to know what happened to me," he frowned. "This is kind of weird, huh?"

She ruffled his hair. "More than you think."

(More Coming Up)


End file.
